Personal Belongings and Personal Property
A question I get often from homeowners and renters in Mission Viejo is “What counts as personal belongings vs. personal property?” A simple way to see it: if your home were turned upside down, pretty much everything that would fall out is your personal property: furniture, clothing, electronics, jewelry, and home accessories.
Does my homeowners policy cover my personal belongings?
Whether you own a home or rent an apartment, insurance policies typically include personal property coverage of some type. This coverage helps pay to repair or replace your belongings after a covered loss, such as theft or fire.
There are two main types of personal property coverage: replacement cost and actual cash value. Replacement cost typically pays what it costs to buy a new item at the time of the claim. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation, so you get what the item was worth used. Personal property coverage also usually has special limits for certain categories, like jewelry, firearms, and collectibles, so high-value items may need to be scheduled separately.
What does renters insurance cover?
Renters insurance in California will help replace your belongings if they’re destroyed or stolen in a covered loss. Most policies also include personal liability, medical payments to others, and additional living expenses if your rental becomes unlivable. California law doesn’t require renters insurance, but many landlords do, and it’s usually very affordable for the protection it provides.
A common misconception among renters is that the landlord’s insurance covers their belongings. The landlord’s policy protects the building, not your things.
What isn’t covered?
Two California risks catch people off guard:
- Earthquakes: standard homeowners and renters policies don’t cover earthquake damage, including to your belongings. A separate earthquake policy, such as one through the California Earthquake Authority, can cover contents.
- Floods: rising water isn’t covered by homeowners or renters policies either. Flood insurance can include contents coverage.
And if your home is insured through the California FAIR Plan, theft of your belongings isn’t covered unless you add a Difference in Conditions policy.
Make a home inventory
After a fire, it’s hard to remember everything you owned. Walk through your home with your phone and record a video of each room, including closets and the garage. Store it in the cloud so it survives even if your home doesn’t. It will make any claim faster and easier.
What should you do?
Always talk to an experienced insurance professional to make sure your personal belongings are adequately covered.
Don’t wait until a disaster happens. Contact us today for a free review and quote.
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